The Vatican's foreign secretary, Jean-Louis Tauran, reiterated on Tuesday his belief that Jerusalem should be granted a special status safeguarded by international guarantees.

The Vatican issued a brief statement after a 50-minute meeting with US Secretary of State Madeleine Albright during which it reaffirmed its views on the disputed city.

"Monsignor Tauran reaffirmed the previously known position of the Holy See on the conditions of a just and long-lasting peace in this region of the world," the statement said.

These conditions include: "a priority for dialogue, the respect of international decisions -- in particular United Nations resolutions -- and the need for a special status, that would be guaranteed internationally, for the Holy Sites of the three monotheistic religions."

The Vatican also pointed out that the meeting had been requested by Albright, who expressed the need to "inform the Holy See about the Camp David summit and on the general situation of the peace process in the Middle East."

Albright conferred twice with the Vatican during the marathon Camp David Middle East peace summit that failed last week after 15 days of intense negotiations – VATICAN CITY (AFP)